Former Zodiak UK CEO Rod Henwood has joined theThe Night Manager producer The Ink Factory in the newly created role of Chief Strategy Officer, responsible for strategy, partnerships, story-world development and marketing. He is also taking a seat on The Ink Factory board of directors.

Former CEO of TV production powerhouse Zodiak Media in the UK, Benelux and India, and a key player in the launch of both Channel 4’s 4oD and JK Rowling’s Pottermore, Henwood has also previously worked at ITV, Channel4 and Fox Kids.

He was responsible for nine production companies under the Zodiak umbrella, leaving in November 2016 following its €1B merger with Banijay Group in February of that year. He was a founding investor and CEO at Bin Weevils Ltd, the children’s social world website, and was behind Channel4’s involvement in Project Kangaroo, the online TV joint venture between ITV, Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide. He will continue to serve as chairman of InQuisiTiVe Media, the on-demand TV and games company.

Simon and Stephen Cornwell, Co-Founders of The Ink Factory, said, “Rod is a trailblazer in the entertainment world, and it is great to have him join our ranks. We are thrilled that Rod is transitioning to a full-time role at The Ink Factory, where we have been benefitting from his brilliant commercial guidance for some months already. As we continue to rewrite the rules as an independent studio and explore new frontiers of storytelling, we are delighted to have him at our side.”

Henwood added, “Along with many others, I’ve long been an admirer of what The Ink Factory has achieved in building a global independent studio, responsible for creative and commercial hits across both television and film – as well as being a fan of the works of John le Carré. What’s most exciting about joining Simon and Stephen and their wonderfully talented team is that the scale of their ambition matches the opportunities that exist today: to partner with great story-tellers and adapt their works in multiple forms globally, from TV and film, to games and physical experiences – all at a time when premium quality story-telling has never been more highly valued. I have been working with the company for the last year on a number of exciting projects, so joining them formally now is both a natural extension and (for me) a special moment.”

Founded by crime writer John le Carré’s sons, LA and London-based The Ink Factory is behind the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series The Night Manager, and is currently in production on a TV adaptation of le Carré’s The Little Drummer Girl directed by Park Chan-wook as well as a series based on The Spy Who Came in From the Cold produced in association with Paramount TV, both for the BBC and AMC. The firm’s latest feature — Drew Pearce’s directorial debut Hotel Artemis, starring Jodie Foster and Sterling K. Brown – is set for release this summer in the U.S. and UK. Fighting With My Family, the upcoming Film4 feature written and directed by Stephen Merchant and starring Dwayne Johnson, Florence Pugh and Vince Vaughn is produced in association with The Ink Factory and will be released later this year.